Set your intention, project your power, bypass any obstacleTaoist internal martial arts lie at the heart of all Taoist practice moving mediations to focus the mind within the body along optimal lines.Xing Yi (pronounced Shing Yee) like Tai Chi & Pa Kua is one of those internal martial arts.Tai Chiteaches you how to roll this way or that, yielding to lifes pressure without being pressed uponPa Kuateaches you the power of circles and the ability to constantly get behind a situation hence always in commandXing Yiteaches you to project your power towards your goal and bypass any obstacle as if passing right through it like walking through walls.I teach Xing Yi (exactly how I do it myself every day) in a series of trainings:The five elements form five distinct fighting forms each relating to a different element metal, water, wood, fire and earth these are thefive main martial arts moves required to stay safe in a fight and extrapolated into everyday life keep you covered from all sides.The twelve animal forms helping you develop the fighting advantage of each animal and imbuing you with the spirit of the animal in a totemic way which is incredibly helpful when you need a bit of extra push in a situation.The Xing Yi long form the real reason to learn the five element forms and the twelve animal forms consists of a complex combination of the five elements and twelve animals and takes each far further in terms of expression and range of movement its a super-graceful dance that feels like its occurring in a different dimension and thats because it is. Its the closest thing to flying Ive ever found.COMING SOONXing Yi Part 1 The 5 Elements Form can be used on its own or as part of the Xing Yi long form to:improve your coordination & dexterityboost your balance & physical sturdinesstone your muscles & increase supplenessincrease your agility, grace & eleganceboost your chi & generate more powerful energy flowincrease your general sense of wellbeing,confidence in your body & self worth.all of which is what lends power to your intention so above allyour intention will become increasingly well-focused & powerful & your ability to make a beeline for something & not be deterred or waylaid en route will increase a hundredfoldWithout intention youre a rudderless boat in a choppy sea without the power to take action youre like a boat with a rudder but no means of propulsion.It doesnt matter what stage of life youre at, nor how much or little youve achieved, even to negotiate yourself round the morning bathroom rituals requires both intention and power, let alone propelling yourself along a desirable trajectory through the day.And it doesnt matter what sort of character you have whether youre backwards in coming forwards or a compulsive achiever, develop this vital combination of intention and power youll get everything you need far more efficiently, economically and enjoyably.The way you get through the day, the sort of outcomes that arise, the way you leave those around you feeling, your ability to avoid time-wasters and energy-snaggers all of it depends on developing and using this vital combination of intention and power.And on a macro level as a species, for better or for worse we are defined by the power and intention that has against all the odds transformed a beautiful relatively unspoilt pre-agricultural wilderness into the highly complex techno-jungle were now all addicted to whether youd prefer us to have remained hunter-gatherers or not, all the great achievements, explorations, and breakthroughs that define our world have occurred through this vital combination.Its especially important to develop power & intention now in the face of a world becoming increasingly random & undependablewhere competition levels are exponentially increasing in inverse proportion to the rapidly dwindling vital resources, causing many to behave unscrupulously you need to muster power and intentionality to determine a clear path through the potential danger.The Taoist approach to life is to trust the great flow, the Tao, to deliver you to safety and soundness at all times. And to acquiesce to whatever happens as an expression of the Tao loving you, somehow assuming everything is working to your advantage even if you cant yet see how.But it also fundamentally requires intention the intention for everything to work out and for it all to turn to your advantage and of course the power to roll with whatever happens and stay in one piece.Taoist martial arts, which lie at the heart of all Taoist practice, though when trained in with that in mind comprise deadly boxing forms, primarily serve as a metaphor in motion a moving mediation to focus the mind within the body along optimal lines.Overcoming an opponent requires the skill, the intention to overcome and the power to move your body in the appropriate way to achieve your goal.Training naturally develops this capacity.Whats special about Xing Yi?Xing Yi (traditionally spelt Hsing-I), is probably the oldest Taoist martial art. It developed in Northern China records only go back a few hundred years but the underlying technique is likely to be a few thousand years old.Xing Yi Chuan (its full name) means literally highly focused intention boxing meaning you vanquish your opponent by intending to and moving your body correspondingly.Chuan translates as fistHsing means to form somethingI, specifically in the word hsing-i, refers to the ability of the mind to create an idea and project it into the body, creating a functional physical formThere are five corresponding forms/fists each linked to the five elements:Pi Chuan chopping/cutting fist,associated with the metal elementBeng Chuan crushing fist, associated with the wood elementTsuan/Zuan Chuan drilling fist, associated with the water elementPao Chuan pounding fist, associated with the fire element, andHeng Chuan crossing fist, associated with the earth elementI teach you those forms in this training. You can use them alone as part of your regular practice or once youre au fait with them, choose to proceed to the twelve animal forms to provide you a particular flare or style for when dealing with tricky situations that require a bit of extra magic and finally the Xing Yi long form which combines the five elements and twelve animals and takes each far further in terms of expression and range of movement.Who will benefit from Barefoot Doctors Xing Yi 5 Elements Form?Anyone, unless you have a physical impairment which means youre unable to stand or move easily. The beauty of this training is you dont need to have done any other martial arts, you dont need to be fit even you merely need to get started and it will get you fit and able to defend yourself without you having to do anything more than the daily training.If youve ever studied martial arts with other teachers what youll find strikingly different here and may have to make accommodation for is the high degree of fun involved. Im not suggesting having fun learning something is the most efficient way for everyone to learn but its the only way I know how and over the years Ive found it to be effective for most people.In terms of how it fits with all the other Barefoot Doctor trainings, whether the internal mastery you learn in School For Warriors, Qigongo, Pa Kua, Tai Chi they all depend on the same set of internal principles and being abreast of those via the other trainings, as well as having developed the physical dexterity acquired in all the Qigongo trainings, youll find Xing Yi like coming home.Myself I practice qigong and all the martial arts forms every day and would most strongly advise that, however if time is a constraint, or youre not willing to alter your schedule to accommodate it, you can always simply do qigong every day as the basis, then one day do the Xing Yi, the next the Pa Kua, the next Tai Chi and so on.What does the Xing Yi 5 Elements Form Training comprise?The training is online via a series of short, easy to watch, fun to follow videos. You have lifetime access to the training and can download the videos to your device so you can learn anywhere you happen to be.The Xing Yi 5 Elements Form wont take you long to learn you watch an introduction followed by a short video explaining and demonstrating each of the forms/fists. Watch one video a day once you can make the movements without following the video, set asideapproximately ten, maybe twenty minutes to practice and make it your own.Practice is key, particularly if youre intending to progress to the next two trainings in the series.Barefoot Doctors Xing Yi Power & Intention TrainingPart 1 The Five Elements Form